Hub-bearing.



PATENTED APR. 28, 1903. I. METZGEB., DEGD. o. s. s. METZGAR.ADMINISTRATORS. HUB BEARING.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 2a, 1902.

L E D 0 M 0 N No. 726,824. PATENTED APR. 2s, 1903.

- I. METZGER, DEGD. o. af. s. METZGAB, ADMINISTRATOM. HUB BEARING.APPLICATION FILED 111228 1902. No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v, f Q* v r Ntra Sterns Amunt Outrun.

ISBON METZGER, OF WINFIELD, IOWA; OLVER METZGAItAND SAMUEL METZGARADMINISTRATORS OF SAlD ISBON METZGER, DEOEASED.

HUB-BEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N o. 726,324, dated April28, 1903. Application iiled February 28,1902. Serial No. 96,133. (Nomodell) To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that LIBSON METZGER,a citizen of the United States, AresidingatWinfield, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented anew and useful Hub-Bearing7 of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hub-bearings, and has for its object toprovide an improved axle-box which is arranged to effectually distributethe lubricant throughout the entire portion of the axle-spindle, tomaintain a circulation of the lubricant from end to end of the spindle,to strengthen the hub, and also to take up wear and end'thrust at theinner end of the box.

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of hub-attachingnut and cap therefor so as to provide an oil-reservoir from which theoil is to be fed to the bearingsurface between the box and the spindleby the tilting of the axle.

lVith these and other objects in View the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as Will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe forni, proporf" tion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure lisa central longitudinal sectional view of ahub and axlespindle embodying the improvements of the present invention.Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of the axlebox. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 1,showing a modified form of axle-box. Fig. 6 is a detail perspectiveviewof the axlespindle shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail sectionalperspective view of the cap which forms an oil-reservoir.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

Referring at first more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of theaccompanying drawings, 1 designates an ordinary wooden hub,

` into which are fitted the spokes 2, and designates opposite tubularmetallic hub-sheaths, which are applied to the opposite ends of the huband have Vinner marginal flanges 4 to bear against the spokes, whichlatter are connected to the flanges by means of suitable fastenings 5piercing the spokes and the anges. The outer end portion 6 of the outersheath member is projected a suitable distance beyond the outer end ofthe hub so as to form a cylindrical flange or hub-band to protect theaxle-nut and the reservoir-cap, as will be hereinafter described, andthe outer end of the bore of the hub is enlarged, as indicated at 7, forthe loose reception of the reservoir-cap.

The axle 8 has the usual integral tapered spindle 9 and is provided atits outer end with a reduced externally-screw-threaded stern portion10,-which terminates at its inner end in an outwardly-directed marginalshoulder 11, against which the hub-attaching nut 12 is designed to bear,so as to be limited in its inward movement. Alongit-udinal groove orgutter 13 is formed` in the top of the spindile and has its outer endterminated short of the shoulder 1l and inclined downwardly andoutwardly. At the inner end of the spindle portion there is acylindrical collar` 14, which is projected toward the outer end of thespindle and is separated therefrom by an annular space sufficient toreceive the inner end of the axle-box. This collar has Ybeen shownintegral with the spindle or axle;

but it will of course be understood that it may be shrunken, screwed, ordriven thereon in order that it may be rigidly and durably connected tothe spindle.

The axle-box 15 has the usual tapered bore to tit the spindle and isprovided with the usual longitudinal wings 16 to enter grooves in thebore of the hub, and thereby interlock the box and hub for simultaneousrotation. Adjacent to the inner end of the box there is a marginalenlargement 17, within the interior of which is formed a marginal grooveor chamber 18, designed to collect oil and carry the same to the top ofthe spindle in order that it may be deposited in the groove 13, andthereby distributed throughout the length of the spindle. At the outerend of the enlargement 17 there is another enlargement 19, therebyforming stepped shoulders 2O and 21 in addition to the shoulder formedby the inner end of the box. The enlargement 19 is of a diameter andlength to have a working fit within the outer portion of the collar 14,so as to leave a space between the shoulder 20 and the outer end of thecollar, in which space is fitted a washer 24, designed to take up wearand end thrust between the box and the collar. A washer 25 is interposedbetween the inner end of the box and the inner end of the cup or collar14, and one or more other washers 23 are placed upon the inner endportion of the box, so as to fill up the space between the shoulder 21and the washer 25, and thereby take up wear and end thrust between theshoulder 2l and the back of the collar or cup 14.

At a point between the enlargement 17 and the outer end of the box thelatter is provided with an internal marginal groove or chamber 26, whichis designed to take up oil from the bottom of the spindle and carry itupwardly and dropitinto the groove 13 in order that surplus oil may beagain applied to the bearing, and thus obviate loss, of any of the oil.In assembling the parts thus described it will be understood that thebox is first inserted into the hub, the washers 23 and 24 having beenpreviously applied to the box. The washer 25 is then fitted in the cupor collar 14, and finally the hub is slid upon the spindle until it isstopped by engagement of the washers with the outer end of the cup andthe back thereof. After the hub has been placed upon the spindle thehub-retaining nut 12 is then fitted in place, and finally the hollowcylindrical cap 27 is fitted into the enlarged portion ofthe bore at theouter end of the hub and secured to the outer end of the box by means ofinternal screw-threads 2S, formed at the inner end of the cap, andexternal screw-threads 29, formed upon the outer end of the box. It willhere be 0bserved that the external diameter of the box is uniform fromthe inner shoulder or end of the enlargement 17 to the outer end of thebox instead of following the taper of the bore thereof, whereby thewalls of the box increase in thickness outwardly, and the formation ofthe threads 29does not weaken the box. The

- outer end of the cap is provided with a reduced polygonal wrench-head30 for conven-A ience in screwing the cap upon the axle-box, and theinterior of the cap is larger than the axle-nut 12,'so as to form areservoir for containing oil, which is adapted to feed into thelongitudinal groove 13 in the spindle. It will here be noted that thecap 27 terminates short of the outer end of the hub-band 6 in order thatit may be housed thereby and protected against accidental displacement.When the cap-nut 27 is fitted in place, the intermediate portion of thehub is gripped snugly between the inner end of the cap and the inner endof the enlargement 17, and by reason of the fact that said enlargementfits snugly the inner end of the hub the latter is braced and materiallystrengthened and looseness of the box within the hub is prevented.

, To establish an effective communication between the oil-reservoirformed by the capnut 27 and the groove 13, a groove 3l is formedlongitudinally through vthe outer part of' the screw-threaded portion 29of the box and an opening or perforation 32 is formed radially throughthe box and in communication with the inner end of the groove 31,whereby a passage is formed through the outer end of the box andcommunicates between the oil-reservoir 27 and the groove 13. It will beobserved that the communication between the oil-reservoir and the grooveis intermittent-that is to say, the communication is established onlywhen the opening 32 is upon the top of the spindle and in alinement withthe groove 13. Although the groove 3l has been shown in the box, it willofcourse be understood that it maybe formed through the threaded portionof the cap 27; but the former arrangement is preferred, as in tho lattercase it would be difficult to properly aline the groove 31 with theperforation 32.

An important feature resides in the fact that the longitudinalgroove 13inc-lines downwardly and outwardly toward the outer end of the spindle,so that the oil, which is fed from the oil-cap 27 inwardly to the innerend of the spindle and is elevated by the chamber 18, will be returnedto the outer end of the bearing by means of the groove, whereby a`continuous circulation of the oil is maintained from end to end of thebearing. It will be understood that the marginal space between the outerend of the spindle and the axle-box is sufficient to permit of the oilworking inwardly between the spindle and the box.

In the form of the device illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 communication ishad between the interior ot' the cap 27 and the groove 13 by extendingthe latter outwardly through the outer end or shoulder 11, whereby theouter end of the groove 13 is open and always in communication with theoil-reservoir instead of .having an intermittent communicationtherewith, as is explained for the other form of the device.

Upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the outerend of the cup or collar 14 is provided with an inner annular integralflange 14, the diameter of the opening bounded thereby being such as togive the fiange a working fit upon that portion of the box which itembraces. The essential object of this flange is to prevent outwarddisplacement of the washers 23 and 25 when the hub is withdrawn from theaxle. Although the cup or collar 14 and the shouldered axle box havebeen shown and described in this case, no claim has been made for thesefeatures, and the right is retained IOO IIC

to present the same in a later application for patent.

l. The combination of a spindle having a longitudinal groove formed inthe top thereof and increasing in depth outwardly, a hub, a box withinthe hub and having au inner annular oil-chamber embracing the inner endof the groove, hub-attaching means, and an oil-cup fitted to the outerend of the box and in communication with the outer end portion of thegroove.

2. The combination of a spindle having a longitudinal groove formed inthe top thereof and increasing in depth outwardly, a box titted upon thespindle and provided with an internal annular oil-chamber embracing theinner end of the groove, means to prevent endwise displacement of thebox from the spindle, and an oil-cap fitted to the outer end of the boxand in communication with the outer end of the groove.

3. The combination with a spindle, having a longitudinal groove formedin its top and inclined downwardly from its inner end portion toward thecuter end thereof, an axlebox tted upon the spindle and provided at itsinner end with an internal annular chamber in constant communicationwith the inner end portion of the groove to take up oil and drop it backinto the groove, a hub-attaching device carried by the outer end of thespindle, and an oil-reservoir carried by the outer end of the axle-boxand in communication with the outer end of the groove, whereby acontinuous circulation of oil is maintained from the outer end to theinner end of the spindle and back again to the outer end thereof.

1i. The combination with a spindle having a longitudinal groove formedtherein, of a hub, an axle-box carried by the hub and having its innerend provided with an external enlargement embracing the inner end of thegroove and forming an annular shoulder bearing against the hub, theenlargement being provided with an internal annular chamber incommunication at all times with the inner end ofthe groove, ahub-attaching device appliedto the outer end of the spindle, and acap-nut forming an oil-reservoir in communication with the outer end ofthe groove in the spindle and applied to the outer end of the box, thehub being clamped between the enlargement of the box and the cap-nut.

5. The combination with a spindle, of an open-ended box fitted thereonand provided with an oil-passage communicating with the bore of the boxat a point inwardly from the outer end thereof and openinglongitudinally outward through the outer end of the box, a hub-attachingdevice carried by the outer end of the spindle, and an oil-cap embracingthe hub-attaching means and in communication d with the outer end of theoil-passage of the box.

6. The combination with a spindle, of an open-ended box fitted thereonand provided with a transverse oil-passage communicating with the boreof the box and located inwardly from the outer end thereof, an oil-capcarried by the box and embracing the outer end of the spindle, alongitudinal oil-passage communicating at one end with the transverseoil-passage of the box and at its other end with that portion of theinterior of the oil-cap which lies outwardly beyond the box, and ahub-attaching device fitted to the outer end of the spindle and housedwithin the oil-cap.

7. The combination with a spindle, of an open-ended box fitted thereon,and provided with a longitudinal oil-passage opening out through theouter end thereof, and a transverse oil-passage intersecting thelongitudinal passage and communicating with the bore of the box,hub-attaching means fitted to the outer end of the spindle, and an0il-cap housing the hub-attaching means and in communication with theouter end of the longitudinal oil-passage.

8. The combination with a spindle, of an open-ended box fitted thereonand provided in its outer end with an external longitudinal grooveopening outwardly through the outer end of the box, and a transversepassage leading from the groove to the interior of the box, ahub-attaching means carried by the outer end of the spindle, and anoil-cap housing the hub-attaching means and detachably fitted to theouter end of the box and closing the outer side of the groove, the outerend of the latter being in communication with the interior of theoil-cap.

9. The combination with a spindle, of a box fitted thereon, and providedin its outerend with an external longitudinal groove opening outwardlythrough the end of the box and a transverse passage leading from thegroove to the interior of the box, and an oil-cap detachably fitted tothe outer end of the box and closing the outer side of the groove, theouter end of the latterbeing in communication with the interior of thecap.

lO. The combination with a spindle,of a box fitted thereon and providedat its outer end with external screw-threads, a longitudinal grooveintersecting the screw-threaded part of the box and opening outwardlythrough the outer end thereof, and a transverse passage leading from thegroove to the interior of the box, and an oil-cap having a screw`threaded connection with the screw-threaded part of the box and closingthe outer side of the groove therein, the outer end of the groove beingin communication with the interior of the oil-cap.

ll. The combination with a spindle having a longitudinal groove, of abox fitted thereon and provided with an internal annular oilchamberembracing the inner end of the groove, the outer end of the box beingprovided with a transverse oil-passage communicating with the outer endportion of the groove, and also having a longitudinal oil- IIO passagecommunicating with the transverse v passage and opening outwardlythrough the the presence of two Witnesses.

outer end of the box and an oil-cap detaehably tted to the outer end ofthe box and in ISBON METZGER 5 communication with the outer end of thelon- Witnesses:

WM. I-I. CoL'roN,

gitudinal oil-passage.

J. D. DIEHL.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in

